Weed deflector for fishing lures



Jan. 30, 1951 w, H, BA 2,539,605

WEED DEFLECTOR FOR FISHING LURES Filed April 22, 1948 Snoentor WFLTEQ H. Emmy Gttornegs Patented Jan. 30, 1951 OFFICE WEED DEFLECTOR FOR FISHING LURES Walter H. Bailey, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to Fred V. Bailey, Birmingham, Ala.

Application April 22, 1948, Serial No. 22,673

1 Claim. (01. 4342.43)

My present invention relates to fishing lures u and has for an object the provision of a lure embodying means to deflect weeds, moss, grass and the like away from the hook as the lure moves through the water. i

A further object of my invention is to provide a weed deflector for association with the hook or hooks of a lure which shall be fully effective in keeping the hook free of weeds and the like, but which does not interfere with hooking a fish when a strike is obtained.

A further object is to provide a weed deflector embodying a pairof backwardly extending, spring steel wires straddling the hook, and having an attaching portion In for securing the deflector to the body of the lure, so constructed that when the attaching portion is in place, the forward end thereof is pressed into contact with the lure body, thus preventing weeds, moss, grass and the like from becoming caught under the forward end of the attaching portion.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this 95 application in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a spoon lure having my improved weed deflector in position thereon;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the lure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view partly broken away and in section, and showing a different form of lure with my improved deflector in position thereon;

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the lure shown in Fig.

Fig. .5 is a side elevational view of my deflector detached from the lure; and,

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the deflector detached from the lure.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of my invention, and more particularly to Figs. 1 and. 2 thereof, I show a well known form of spoon lure It formed of a flat sheet of metal and having an upwardly bent, cupped rear end II. The hook I2 is connected to the plate ID by means of a screw I3, and extends through a hole I4 in the cupped end H. An opening I6 is provided in the front end of the lure for attaching a leader.

My improved weed deflector Il' comprises a length of spring steel wire bent intermediate its ends to form an eyelet 5'8 through which the screw I3 passes. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, each side of the wire extends forwardly from the eyelet it to provide a generally straight mounting portion i9 formed of parallel portions 20 and 2E I of the wire. The eyelet I8 is bent slightly inwardly toward the lure body with respect to the portions 20 and 2 I, as best shown in Fig. 5, whereby when the screw I3 is inserted, the mounting portion I9 comprising the sections 20 and 2I and the eyelet I 3 is held under spring'pressure.

The sections 20 and 2| of the wire are curved outwardly and rearwardly as indicated at 22 to overlie the mounting portion, thereby to provide a pair of backwardly extending prongs 23 and 24. The prongs 23 and 24 diverge from the point 22 rearwardly, thereby to straddle the hook I2. The angle of the bend 22 is such that the inwardly bent, curved ends 26 and 21, pro vided on the rear ends of the prongs 23 and 24 lie slightly outward from the point of the hook I2 as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

In Figs. 3 and 4 I show the deflector attached to a different form of lure 28 embodying a hook 29. In this instance the screw 3! holding the hook 29 is disposed on the bottom or the lure, and the deflector I1 is mounted on the lure by means of the screw 3I, similarly as it is held by the screw I3. The rearwardly extending prongs 23 and 24 are disposed with their curved ends 26 and 21 on either side of the hook 29 and lie slightly outwardly from the point of the hook.

In both forms of lures shown and described, the screws I3 and 3| are first removed, and the mounting portion of my deflector is placed in direct contact with the body of the lure. The eye of the hook is placed on top of the eyelet I8, and the screw I3 or 3I is run in. This causes the end of the mounting portion I9 at the point of bend 22 to lie flat against the body of the lure and to be held thereagainst by spring action due to the bending of the eyelet I8 at the point of connection therewith to the portions 20 and 21 of the wire. Consequently, when the lure is pulled through the water, grass and weeds do not become caught between the deflector and lure body at the point of bend 22.

I preferably form the deflector of relatively small diameter sp'ring steel wire, though obviously the size of such wire will vary with the movement of the prongs 23 and 24 in the event a fish strikes the lure from the rear. In practice, I have found that this feature is important because a large number of strikes are obtained by fish approaching the lure from the rear. I have found that my improved weed deflector does not interfere in any way with the function of the hook in catching the fish, and that at the same time I it -is highly effective in keeping the hookfree of weeds, moss, 'and'jthe like.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so.limited,..but.-is. susceptible of various changes and modifications, without departing from the-spirit ;thereof,'and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as aresspecifically set forth in the appended claim.

What I claim is:

A weed deflector in zcombination with a fishinglure. having a .body andcarrying a hook at the rear thereof,.asingleslength of zspring steel Wire providing ,pair of prongs straddling the pointaof thehook andedisplacedlaterally ,on *ei then side of the .point,.the ends of said-.prongsadjacenttheshcok .havinga .bend :inwardly toward the. lure body each of 'saidpron'gsextending-forwardly and toward the lure body and thence having a, bend under and rearwardly to form parallel portions, an eyelet formed on the rear ends of the parallel portions, said eyelet having a bend inwardly toward the body of the lure with respect to the parallel portions and a common screw securing the hook and said eyelet to the lure body and disposed to flatten the eyelet and ;;;parallel portions against'thebody thereby holding' the 'forwardend'of the panallelportions of the lure under spring tension against the lure body.

WALTER H. BAILEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the :ifile :ofrtliis :patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS I-Iedolon M Jan. 12, 1943 

